“Quit lying, kid. There ain’t no way you could afford that!”

The old woman pointed one of her crooked fingers at Ellis’ chest; her skin was leathery and thick from decades of hard labor.

Ellis glared back at her and brushed her hand away.

“Except I did! Honest.”

She snorted.

“Ain’t an honest bone in yer body, if you ask me. Always running around and causing trouble. The both of ya.” She tilted her head toward Marybeth who, at that moment, was trying to steal a sip from an unattended pint of ale. Marybeth stopped before her lips touched the pint and smiled sweetly.

A man leaned his elbow onto the counter and shrugged his shoulders.

“I hate to say it Ma, I really do. But I seen him with my own eyes in the tannery. He paid for it fair and square with coin from his own pocket.”

Ma Mileena was not impressed.

“And you expect me to believe these two runts took on a beast that could kill ya with a look? Ha!”

“It’s a basilisk, Ma. And believe it or not, we did!” Marybeth stuck out her chin and stood shoulder to shoulder with Ellis.

Ma Mileena looked at them both. Ellis was sporting a fine studded leather vest that was tailored perfectly to fit his upper body. He had a new belt and bracers that were made of the same high-quality leather as the vest. Marybeth was similarly adorned in a finely tailored leather vest and gauntlets, seemingly cut from the same source; though, her’s had slight embellishments and fine patterns sewn in that Ellis’ did not.

Ma Mileena smiled.

“Aw, you two got matching outfits.”

Ellis’ cheeks became bright red.

“Wha—”

He looked down at himself and then at Mary.

It was true.

“No!” he protested. “It was the best one they had so we got the same cut, that’s all!”

“Oh really? Are you sure you didn’t do it on purpose?” Ma Mileena raised an eyebrow at the other man, and they shared a playful look.

“We wasn’t trynna match!” Mary blurted out. “Telhari said it was the best one, so we bought it!”

Ma Mileena tilted her head to the side.

“Who?”

At this, Ellis regained his confidence, puffing out his chest as he answered her.

“Telhari! He’s our guild leader.”

Ma Mileena shook her head and went back to cleaning the countertop.

“Oh yeah? Another scrappy farmer’s kid you two wrangled into your angst?”

“No! He’s a real fighter!” Ellis asserted. “And he ain’t no kid!”

“Sure, whatever you say.”

“Honest! He should be here soon, as a matter of fact.” Ellis turned and pointed toward the door of the Lonely Song. Ma Mileena looked at the door, paused for a moment, then looked back at Ellis with a frown.

“Well…”

Suddenly, they heard a commotion outside on the street. Ellis brightened up, putting his hands on his hips triumphantly. Ma Mileena looked at the man who sat across from her with genuine surprise. Mary and Ellis joined each other in a shared look of victory.

“See? He’s comin’ in right now!” Mary sneered.

The commotion outside was growing louder. As the noises came closer, they could hear people shouting out of fear.

The patrons of the Lonely Song began to pay attention, with all of them soon looking up from their tables toward the street. Over the sounds of shouting, they could make out the high-pitched twang of metal on metal. The man at the bar stiffened up and gripped the knife on his belt. Ma Mileena slowly let go of the rag she was holding and reached underneath the countertop.

“Uh…” Ellis muttered, trying to find words. “I…should go make sure he’s OK.” He then looked worriedly at Mary.

The commotion was close now, just outside the door to the Lonely Song. Ellis crept towards the door. A woman shouted and another twang was heard. The unmistakable sound of steel colliding.

The tavern grew silent.

No one took a breath.

Ellis crept closer to the door, his weight causing the floorboards to creak.

CRASH!

The doors to the Lonely Song flew open and a figure grabbed Ellis by the collar and dragged him into the wall.

“Sir Perry! Don’t do it!” Ingrid charged in after him; sword drawn and sweat running down her face.

“I’LL KILL YOU, YOU LITTLE SHIT!”

Perry lifted Ellis with ease and shook him around.

Ma Mileena let out a sigh of relief.

“About time…” She lowered the rusty axe in her hand and returned it to its hiding place behind the counter. The other man at the bar re-sheathed his hunting knife and took a swig of ale.

“Lord Mannigold! Please don’t hurt Ellis!” Marybeth pleaded as she ran up to him and grabbed his arm.

“Un— cle— Per— ry!”

“EDGE!? YOU WENT TO EDGE!?”

Ingrid ran to Perry’s side and pulled at him along with Mary.

“Sir, please calm down. We are making a scene!”

“I’ll make a scene wherever I damn well please! Anyone got a problem with that!?”

Perry turned around and stared with wide eyes at the denizens of the Lonely Song.

They shook their heads.

He turned politely to Ma Mileena.

“Any protest from you, Ma?”

She shrugged.

He nodded.

“WHY THE HELL DID YOU GO TO EDGE!”

“Let him go!”

“Sir, Perry! Let him speak!”

“What!?” Perry yelled back at Ingrid.

“If he can’t breathe, he can’t speak.”

Perry paused and looked at Ellis who was, in fact, struggling to breath. He snorted, then dropped Ellis who barely managed to land on his feet.

After a few gasping breaths Ellis’ face turned from red to pink.

“What the hell!?”

“Watch your tongue! Answer my question, boy!”

“We was in Edge to hunt a—!”

He caught himself and looked at Mary— she shook her head.

“We was…hunting some wolves,” he said in a low voice.

Perry towered over Ellis as he spoke.

“That is not what I heard.”

Ellis gulped.

“W-what did you hear?”

“I heard that you two were tracking a Basilisk.”

The tavern was silent, but all eyes and ears were on them.

Ma Mileena leaned over the counter as she spoke.

“Perry…” she laughed, “You can’t be serious?”

Perry looked at Ellis and then at Mary.

“That armor…You bought it?”

“Yes, sir,” Ellis answered.

Perry spoke to Ma Mileena but didn’t take his eyes off of Ellis.

“Ma, do you know the cost of that armor?”

“Can’t say I do,” she said with a shrewd look.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

“At least a half noble, for each of them. Maybe more.”

Ma Mileena for the first time seemed genuinely shocked. Even Ingrid looked at them both with surprise. Perry continued, “There are no wolves worth that price.”

“But still, a basilisk?” Ma Mileena insisted.

“It would seem so.”

Ellis could hear the creaking of wood as people turned in their chairs to look at him.

“Tell me now,” Perry commanded, “Who led you to Malendar’s Edge?”

Ellis stiffened up.

“We went there on our own.”

Perry looked at Mary, but she avoided his gaze. When she would not answer him, he instead turned back to Ma Mileena.

“Is that true?”

“They got another kid with them. Telhari, they say.”

Perry furrowed his brow. Telhari was no Omnirian name.

“Where are they, then?” Perry asked as he stepped toward Ellis. “Where is the fool who dragged you two through the wilderness of the Malenday Corridor to hunt such a fell beast?”

“I…I don’t know…”

Just then, a familiarly dry voice spoke from behind his uncle.

“Sorry to interrupt… But I believe I would be that fool.”

Ellis was excited for a moment, before he fully realized the tension and anger on his uncle’s face. Perry turned to face Telhari, who stood in the doorway to the Lonely Song carrying a pack full of supplies. He had gone to the market before meeting them, just as he had said he would. Sir Perry and Telhari exchanged a look for only a few seconds, but within that time they each learned a great deal.

“You are Telhari, then?”

“I am.”

Telhari surveyed the faces and bodies that were turned towards him.

“Has Ellis done something to upset you?”

Perry smiled wryly as he spoke.

“He has, indeed. Though, I am curious as to why my nephew’s actions are of concern to you?” As he spoke. Perry positioned himself in front of Ellis, blocking Telhari’s view of him.

“Nephew?” Telhari looked at Mary in surprise. She nodded. “Well,” Telhari said as he walked towards Sir Perry, “It is a pleasure to meet you.” Telhari then held out his hand.

Ingrid looked on at the two men. Showing honor among knights was an essential practice, and Sir Perry normally respected this creed. However, Telhari was not technically a knight, and Telhari knew this. This was not a greeting— it was a test.

“You haven’t answered my question,” Perry said as he clasped Telhari’s forearm.

Telhari looked carefully at Perry before speaking.

“Ellis and Marybeth accompanied me on my trip to Malendar’s Edge.”

Perry let go and stepped back.

“Your trip?”

“Yes. My intention was to take the trip alone.”

Perry looked at Ellis and Marybeth, but it was not an invitation for them to speak. He studied them both, watching for any hint that what Telhari was saying was untruthful. In fact, they seemed to have relaxed quite a bit since Telhari had arrived. Perhaps he was telling the truth after all. Satisfied, Perry turned back to Telhari.

“And they followed you?”

Telhari nodded.

“I suspect you know already that once those two have made up their minds, there is no swaying them.”

Ingrid and Perry shared a look.

“They managed to travel to Edge on their own merits,” Telhari continued. “Only after I had confronted the creature in its den, did I know that they were there.”

“So, it’s true then?” Ma Mileena spoke up. “A basilisk lives in Edge?”

“Lived,” Telhari corrected.

She eyed him.

“You killed it then? With the help of those two runts?”

Telhari nodded.

“They were surprisingly helpful. That is why I saw it fit that they receive a portion of the reward.”

Ma Mileena thought for a moment. Then she folded her arms and gave her head a firm nod.

“I guess that settles that.”

But Perry thought otherwise.

“Ellis does not need your praise.” Perry then turned his back to Telhari and walked over to Ellis. “He made a mistake following you to Edge.” He towered over Ellis, staring down his nose at the boy as he continued. “And he is lucky to have returned alive.” Perry then grabbed Ellis’ armor and began to undo the buckles one at a time. Once loose enough, he ripped it off of Ellis, folded it in his arms and handed it to Telhari. “Ellis is not a warrior. He does not need armor.”

Telhari watched Perry extend his arm to him. He then looked at Ellis who had his eyes fixed on the floor.

“I return this to you,” Perry insisted. “You do not owe my nephew for his stupidity. The reward is yours alone.”

Telhari knew he had no right to assert himself over Ellis’ own family. But even still, he did not want to take the armor back.

“I was wounded by the creature,” Telhari said, finally. “Your nephew watched over me while I recovered. For that, I owe him a life debt.”

Perry was not amused. He gripped the leather harder, keeping his eyes on Telhari.

“Sir Perry,” Ingrid said as she stepped in, “It would seem that Ellis has managed to achieve a great deal in the last few months. Truly, actions worthy of the Mannigold name.” She shot a look at Telhari.

“Indeed,” he followed up, “The Lord of Malendar’s Edge was quite fond of Ellis, as it happens.”

Ingrid softened her voice even more as she continued.

“Every worthy man must undergo a rite of passage. Ellis is no longer a child; he is a man now. Worthy of a man’s responsibility.”

Perry lowered his arm. He took one last look at Telhari before turning to Ingrid with a smile.

“Right you are, Ingrid. Ellis is indeed a man now.” Perry grabbed Ellis by the shoulder and shoved him toward the door. “Come on, Ellis. I have spoken with Avenell already. Now that I have returned, I shall remain in Viemen to oversee your studies.”

“But—”

“Thank you, Telhari, for returning my nephew to me,” Perry called out, refusing to give Ellis any room to speak. Perry crossed the room and approached the threshold of the Lonely Song with Ellis in tow. “I wish you luck on the rest of your travels,” Perry said with his back to the room. And within a moment, both he and Ellis had disappeared.

Telhari felt strange as he stared at the spot where Ellis had been. He then heard footsteps approaching from behind.

“I would advise that you keep a distance from Ellis,” Ingrid said, though there was no malice in her words. “Sir Perry is a strong-willed man and he will not stand to be challenged, especially on matters pertaining to his family.”

Telhari nodded.

Ingrid turned away from him and smiled at Ma Mileena. She took one last look at the men and women of the tavern before leaving, closing the door quietly behind her. With the sound of her boots growing distant, the silence in the Lonely Song returned.

“Alright then!” Ma Mileena shouted while clapping her hands loudly. “Quit yer gawking! Show’s over!”

As she had commanded, the chatter and liveliness returned.

Telhari walked slowly to the bar and sat down. Immediately, he heard another bar stool squeal as Mary sat down next to him.

“What are we gonna do?”

Telhari set down the bag of supplies and looked at her.

“What do you mean?”

“Well…We can’t just let him go? We’re a team, ain’t we?”

“There is no arguing with Sir Perry, Mary. He is Ellis’ uncle, head of their household, and nobility of this town.” He paused. “But regardless of his status, I still would not argue with him.”

“Well why not?”

“Because I agree with him.”

“You what!? Why would you agree?”

“I told you both, didn’t I?” Telhari asked as he looked her in the eyes. “This life only ends one way.”

A pint of ale plopped down in front of Telhari. He looked up at Ma Mileena as she slid it towards him.

“I did not order any ale.”

“It’s on the house.”

He looked from her to the ale and back again. He then pulled the cup towards himself and swirled it around before taking a sip.

“Thank you.”

“How can you think of it that way?” Mary insisted as she leaned in. “Because of us, all those people in Edge are safe.”

“Are you forgetting how close we all came to dying?”

“No…” she mumbled, looking down at her hands. “But if Ellis wants to risk his life to help people, he should be allowed to…”

“Do you really want that?” Telhari asked her. “Wouldn’t you feel better if you knew he was safe?”

She didn’t answer.

“Sir Perry feels the same way. And he has the means to give Ellis an education and a life free from violence and war. You should feel happy for him.”

“But it’s not what he wants!”

Telhari sighed.

“Ellis is young. He thinks he wants a life of adventure, but it is only because he does not appreciate the sacrifices necessary to make that dream a reality.”

“He knows!” She grabbed Telhari’s arm. “You know that he knows…”

“And if he still insists, then he is a fool.”

“Then so are you!”

Ma Mileena laughed at this outburst.

“Kids are something, aren’t they?”

Telhari took another sip of ale.

“No matter where you go, they are always the same,” he agreed.

Mary grew red.

Ma Mileena caught this. She took the rag off her shoulder, slapped onto the counter and leaned in toward Telhari and gave him a wink.

“You need a woman’s touch,” she whispered.

He leaned back in his chair.

“As you wish.”

“Mary?” Ma asked her, “Do you know why we’re called the Lonely Song?”

Mary shook her head.

“During Rhoden’s war, this whole area was a blood-soaked battlefield. Scores of men marched to their death against Boginsklad.” She looked up at the ceiling as she continued. “Thousands of ‘em passed through those doors, all of ‘em stopping here for one last drink the night before settin’ off.” Ma paused for a moment, her eyes softening. “One night, my husband started playing the lute and I started singing… just a little jaunt, a spur of the moment sorta thing. Wouldn’t ya know, they all loved it! Pretty soon, we became known for it. And if they managed to survive, they’d come back, and we would all sing it together. We went on like that until…” She paused and lowered her head. “Until Otto and I were the only one’s singing. And then, it was just me.”

The two stayed quiet.

“I’ve seen men rush to their deaths for glory, honor, and any other fancy ideal that you could fill their heads with.”

“But they fought to protect Viemen,” Mary argued. “If they didn’t, we wouldn’t be here.”

Ma Mileena looked at her with sympathetic eyes.

“You’re right, girl. We might not…but that doesn’t make it hurt any less.” She slid the rag off the counter and threw it back over her shoulder. “Someone’s gotta fight, that much is true. The world can’t seem to get on without a bit of fighting…but if you have the chance to avoid all that, I think you should take it.”

Mary had nothing to say.

Telhari watched as she sank into her chair. He made eye contact with Ma Mileena and she understood. Ma leaned her elbow onto the counter and looked at Mary.

“So?” she asked.

Mary looked at her, confused.

Ma sighed.

“Tell me, girl, what was it like killing a basilisk?” She hovered there, smiling a toothy grin— the wrinkles on her face curled up around her mouth and eyes. She may have been old, but her gray-blue eyes sparkled with a youthful spirit.

“Well…” Mary started, “It was scary…I guess.”

“Ugh! Come on!” Ma sighed as she dropped her shoulders. “That’s not how you tell a story.”

“Well, I don’t know!” Mary folded her arms in protest. “Why do you want to know anyways?”

“I run a tavern. I deal in stories.”

“It was truly a spectacle,” Telhari added.

Mary looked up at him in surprise.

Telhari smiled at Mary.

“You should tell her.”

“Alright!” she said with a sudden burst of joy and embarrassment. Mary then perked up and adjusted herself in the chair. “First off, Ellis and I met these jerks in your tavern…”

And so, Mary told Ma Mileena of their first encounter with Telhari. She told her how they had been insulted and then driven into action by his cynical accusations. She spoke of their journey through the wilderness of southern Omnirius, of the stolen horse and of the yellow flowers: recounting the monster’s poison and the primal terror of it all. And she even saw fit, after the minutes had rolled by, to tell Ma Mileena of the icy magic Telhari had used in the end. Though for a moment there was a flicker of concern from Telhari, he had said nothing, nor did he interrupt her; because despite his worries, Ma had made no comment on this mention of magic beyond an acknowledgment of Mary’s words.

The two women continued their impassioned conversation, while Telhari sat back and enjoyed his ale. He was, after all, quite content knowing that Mary had found a way to smile once again.